


Flashbulb Memories

by exitium



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:34:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21689950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exitium/pseuds/exitium
Summary: She looks at him for the first time, committing his face to memory. The moment their eyes meet, she feels something stir in her heart; love and pain, longing and hope.The feelings are so strong that it nearly steals the breath from her throat.Just who was she before? Her memories don't have answers for her. Who was Asra Alnazar to her? What did she do to deserve him at her side?-Takes place before the game... And then after.
Relationships: Apprentice & Asra (The Arcana), Apprentice/Asra (The Arcana), Asra (The Arcana)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 6





	Flashbulb Memories

**Author's Note:**

> Just another self-indulgent thing, consisting of my apprentice's most important, emotional memories involving Asra and who she was before she died. 
> 
> Thank you for reading <3

**Vesuvia.**

"In time," her auntie, Xiomara, said while rifling through their boxed belongings, "Vesuvia will be a synonym for _home._ But for now, instead of wallowing, can you _please_ help me unpack? It will make this shop a lot more appealing, trust me."

At the time, Sonora was cross about the entire situation. She felt justified. _Of course_ she did. They were running away from a terrifying past that threatened to catch up to them, to swallow them whole. But she _never_ thought it would drag them across the sea, so many miles away from her birthplace. She wanted to ask so many questions. Why couldn't they just have stayed in Agria? Did they really have to move to a new country altogether? They could have just skirted along the borders, kept themselves hidden. Right? 

Even though the trip to Vesuvia was planned for months, even though her auntie had told her over and over that Glaci isn't a permanent place for them to stay... She was still pissed when her ass sat down on the ship to Vesuvia. She was pissed when she never got a straight answer as to _why._

"I'm going to hate it here," Sonora had replied. Her voice held no resentment, just frustration. 

When she heard her auntie sigh, brief but deep, Sonora knew that she was testing her patience. But like a saint, her aunt never lost her temper with her. Strong as steel but as forgiving as a friend forced to critique your terrible oil paintings, Xiomara dropped the books she was to store away in their newfound home and reached out for Sonora's hands. Her fingertips, kissed with dust, pressed lightly into her wrist just so her niece could look her in the eye.

"Sonora. Are you listening?" Her aunt kneeled before her. Lazy sunbeams suddenly made how _tired_ the woman was as clear as still waters. Fatigue rested on her form like a lingering ghost, but still she pressed on. "You know I never wanted us to leave Agria. But your magic is getting stronger, and Agria is beginning to become less and less understanding. You know what they did to your mother when they found out she was a witch using her abilities to help our poor, starving little village."

The image flashed before her eyes. Her mother _burned_ to ash. Sonora closed her eyes and willed the memory to go away.

"They will snuff the life out of you if they find out how strong you are," Xiomara said, and her expression hardened. As if the mere thought of Sonora dying would make her fall apart. "Vesuvia is a place where you can safely express yourself through your magic. I want you to be _you._ I don't want you to be held down by an empress who could give less than two shits about her country. Do you understand? This is all for you."

Slowly, the frustration that threatened to turn into a maelstrom in Sonora's chest calmed... So the vicious winds of guilt could take hold of her heart and lungs. She had nodded.

"Now please help me unpack. We have to make Witchouse look as homely as possible for our customers."

**・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.**

**Witchouse.**

That signified the official name of their little shop, proudly founded by Xiomara Celeste. It sold all kinds of magical curio, which attracted a variety of customers:

1) **The tourists.** The ones that know absolute balls about magic, the ones that can be easily scammed into buying incense that is pretty much ordinary incense. When her aunt found out about this, she had smacked Sonora on the back of the head and gave her a well-deserved scolding.

2) **The non-believers**. The worse fucking customers, why the hell are they going to a shop that sells everything they don't believe in? Sonora was advised by her aunt to never use her magic to prove them wrong- not because it would be a waste of time but because they would go on and on about how that was nothing but a chemical reaction or cook up a conspiracy theory that you will never hear the end of. _Trust me,_ her aunt had said, _I made that mistake._

3) **The experienced nomads**. They tell the grandest tales of romance and adventure, and Sonora loves to hear them. They even teach her a few tricks. Often, they compliment the variety of stock they have. _It's like you have a piece of every corner of this world,_ one had told them, _very convenient for wandering magicians like us._

4) **The open-minded, _I-don't-know-much-about-magic-but-I'm-willing-to-learn-and-respect-it_ type. **Sonora is more than willing to shill her knowledge of magic. These people don't seem to mind that she's young, and they seem willing to actually learn from her which is nice.

And last but not least,

5) **That boy with the fluffy white hair and purple eyes.**

Except he's not exactly a customer, because he has never once ventured into their shop. He's peered curiously inside once or twice. But for some reason, he never dared to enter. Like he feels like he shouldn't...

Weird.

**・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.**

**Two months in Vesuvia** , Sonora can safely admit that she was wrong. She doesn't hate it here. The weather is sunny and the food is different. A _good_ different. People are kind and welcoming, and she can freely practice her magic without fearing for her life. Sure, people stare. Some people will glare. And there's the occasional rude customer who will cuss her and her auntie out in slurs just to try and prove a point, but the majority believe that magic isn't something to be feared. A good chunk of that majority could care less about it.

She's found a familiar cycle in her life, a comforting one: wake up, wash up for the day, try and eat breakfast, then wander off into the dark woods to forage for shop ingredients while her aunt maintains the shop. When she gets back to the shop, her aunt will either work the floor with her or quickly run and do some errands.

Everything is perfect. Everything is fine.


End file.
